Brunei - 'Fight obesity to cut risk of breast cancer'

IF OBESITY among children is not tackled, they may be at risk of developing breast cancer in the future, said a consultant oncologist at the Ministry of Health yesterday.

In an interview with The Brunei Times, Associate Professor Dr Hj Muhammad Syafiq said breast cancer is associated with obesity and the risk of developing the cancer increases with age.

"We do not want to wait for it (breast cancer) to happen. We must try to reduce it."

Associate Professor Dr Hj Muhammad Syafiq also said that breast cancer affects both men and women. However the percentage affecting men is small.

There is only one per cent of breast cancer cases in Brunei that involve men, he added.

"Over the period of 10 years, there were only four cases (of men with breast cancer)," he added.

He further explained that most of the men who were diagnosed with breast cancer were the elderly folk.

"What can now be said is that breast cancer is found to be related with obesity," said the associate professor.

"In theory, breast cancer could affect anyone who is obese regardless of gender."

Associate Professor Dr Hj Muhammad Syafiq spoke to The Brunei Times on the sidelines of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2012 celebration at the Tutong Community Hall held in November 2012.

At the event, he delivered a presentation titled, "Breast Cancer in Brunei Darussalam".

During his presentation, he adviced ways to lower the risk of acquiring the non-communicable disease such as losing weight for those who are obese as well as being rigorous about examining one's breasts, regular clinical exams and mammograms.

In an article published by The Brunei Times, November 21, 2012, the Minister of Health, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Adanan Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Hj Mohd Yusof cited preliminary results of Phase Two of the Brunei Darussalam Second National Health and Nutritional Status Survey 2009-2011 said that 8.8 per cent of Bruneian children under the age of five are overweight and 3.3 per cent of them are obese.

NURHAMIZA HJ ROSLAN

The Brunei Times

Brunei - 16 new HIV cases reported in Brunei between 2010 & 2011

SIXTEEN new HIV cases were reported in Brunei between 2010 and 2011, according to UNAIDS' most recent report on the global AIDS epidemic.

With 11 new cases reported in 2011 alone, it represents the highest annual increase - tied with 2009 - since Brunei recorded its first case of HIV in 1986.

Men comprised 62 per cent of new cases, 40 per cent of whom were married at the time of diagnosis, the report read.

Almost all new HIV cases were transmitted through male-to-female sexual contact, with only two likely cases involving male-to-male sexual contact. There was one case of mother-to-child transmission, which was attributed to the pregnant mother only seeking antenatal care during labour.

The report noted that a total of seven other children have been born to three HIV-positive mothers in the past 5 years. Proper prenatal treatment was able to prevent the transmission of the HIV virus from mother to child.

As of December 2011, there are 49 people known to be living with HIV in Brunei, with one AIDS-related death recorded in the past year.

Although there have been no studies to quantify the prevalence of HIV within the population, the government does takes steps to monitor the disease by screening for the virus among pregnant mothers, blood donors, recipients of blood transfusions, tuberculosis patients, foreign workers applying for work permits, detainees in prison and drug rehabilitation, patients with sexually transmitted diseases and contacts of people with HIV.

It is compulsory for all clinicians to report any positive cases to the Department of Health Services and over 20,000 HIV tests were requested and tested by the Ministry of Health in 2011.

"HIV testing is provided free of charge and available at most government health centres and clinics. However, pre-test counselling and post-test counselling for negative tests is not always done, although post-test counselling if test is positive is always given," the report stated.

First-line antiretroviral drugs are readily provided to citizens and permanent residents who test positive for HIV, although second and third-line antiretrovirals have to be applied for on an individual basis.

As the sole non-governmental organisation addressing HIV/AIDS issues in the country, the Brunei Darussalam AIDS Council has made considerable efforts in increasing awareness on HIV, particularly in youth and teenagers through its peer education programmes, the UNAIDS report said. There are plans to initiate behavioural surveillance in youth and schools over the next few years.

Although prevalence of HIV nationally is considered very low and is expected to remain low in the near future, several issues and challenges will continue to because for concern, the report stated.

Sexually transmitted infections in particular chlamydia and gonorrhea have increased over the past decade suggesting that risky sexual behaviour exists within the community, posing a potential risk of HIV transmission.

Sex education has yet to be included in the curriculum, although the Ministry of Education is considering the introduction of "life-skills based education".

Although majority of the cases reported in Brunei Darussalam have been through heterosexual means, publications around Asia have shown that there has been an increase in the number of homosexual men testing positive for HIV.

"Male-to-male transmission continues to be a difficult group to target for surveillance as well as prevention," the report said.

The Global AIDS Progress Reporting 2012 is an annual report released by UNAIDS (the United Nations programme for HIV/AIDS), the main advocate for a comprehensive response to the global epidemic.

Brunei recorded its first local case of HIV in August 1986 and has recorded 72 cases in citizens and permanent residents up till the end of 2011.

The Brunei Times

Brunei - Demand for all-women fitness centres in Brunei

Several female participants of Health Promotion Centre's Healthy Lifestyle Clinic Programme seen during a routine exercise at Fitness Zone in Serusop.

Gyms or fitness centres big or small are popular haunts for fitness junkies of all ages, however, centres that are especially catered for women are still hardly known of or easily accessible according to some.

This is becoming more apparent as the nation moves towards a more healthier lifestyle, and more Bruneians are becoming health-conscious and are adopting the habit of consistently exercising in order to keep fit.

While there are those who go outdoors for a run or go to recreational parks for a hike, others attend various classes for cardio exercises and prefer to hit the gym.

In previous reports, fitness gyms for women have been said to be a growing target market with the opening of establishments like Ladies First in Serusop in 2008.

Even mixed fitness centres such as Fitness Zone and Zunic Wellness have attributed that their clienteles are mostly of the female population, it mentioned.

Despite this, laments for these establishments are still abound.

The Brunei Times did a look-through of the buildings in Serusop for Ladies First yesterday and uncovered two fitness gyms for women instead: De Chantique Fitness and Women's Fitness Zone.

With De Chantique Fitness closed until August 27, 2012 for Raya, a visit to the Women's Fitness Zone yielded results - its aerobics trainer revealed that the gym has been "around for a while" and that they are currently renovating its space so that the gym equipments section will be separated from its aerobics area.

The aerobics trainer who preferred to be anonymous also said that the Women's Fitness Zone establishment only employs female workers.

In a separate interview, Adrianna Hj Alias from Kampung Mulaut commented that "there might be some of these gyms (for women) around in Brunei".

However, locating them remains the problem, she said.

"While I don't really mind going to gyms which cater to both men and women, I do prefer going to one, which is especially for women," she said.

"Of course, there are aerobic classes that are mostly attended by women nowadays," Adrianna said, "but what if we want to weight train?"

"If I wanted to use the treadmill, I don't mind using it if there's a guy in the room," she said, "but for weight training, there are still some of us who'd prefer to do so in a space just for women."

"It basically depends on the exercise activity that we want to do," she said.

Meanwhile, Harisah Hamdan from Kampung Kilanas said that she had actually come across a gym which catered solely for women during her studies in New Zealand.

"Even the workers there are all women," Harisah said. "When the repairmen comes, we would be informed of their presence beforehand."

Compared to her experience in New Zealand, she said that "it's hard to find one such gym here in Brunei".

"There's no reason for us not to have one because it agrees with our MIB (Malay Islamic Monarchy) culture," she said. "(An all ladies) gym also provides a safer space to workout indoors away from the sun's heat."

She added that having a gym catered just for women would not only be more comfortable for Muslims to carry out some of the "embarrassing exercise movements", but also for non-Muslim women who'd rather not "sweat it out in front of the men".

Humaira Umar agrees with Harisah's viewpoint. "It would be great if there is a proper all-women gym in Brunei with women-only managers, trainers and cleaning staff," Harisah said.

"At the moment, we do have gyms that provide areas for women, but they actually still have men who can access them, be it the male gym workers or male cleaners," she said. "So it rather beats the purpose for observant Muslim women who want to cover aurat (certain parts of the body that should not be exposed)."

Diyana Ibrahim

The Brunei Times/Asia News Network

Brunei - MoH recalls 11 sports supplements

One of the sports supplements recalled by the Ministry of Health after learning that they have been found to contain 'DMAA' or '1,3-dimethylamylamine' which can cause side effects such as high blood pressure, dizziness and vomiting, bleeding in the brain, stroke and even death.

THE Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday recalled various brands of sports supplements found to contain DMAA or 1,3-dimethylamylamine.

DMAA or 1,3-dimethylamylamine can cause some side effects like high blood pressure, dizziness and vomiting, bleeding in the brain, stroke and even death.

The withdrawal comes following information obtained from the International Food Safety Network (INFOSAN), after receiving a notification from Australia where laboratory tests indicated DMAA was found in the sports supplements.

A press statement from the MoH said some of these products are produced in the United States of America and are sold through the Internet.

Following the withdrawal of these products, the MoH, through the Division of Food Safety and Quality Control, Department of Health Services, has been monitoring supermarkets or certain premises to ensure the product is not available in the market, and will continue to make routine inspections.

The ministry said importers and retailers are "prohibited" from importing the products concerned.

The products are also to be withdrawn from the market immediately, and be taken to any of the Quality Control and Food Safety sections across the districts to be destroyed.

Consumers are advised to return the respective supplements to shops where the purchase(s) were made, or send them to any of the Quality Control and Food Safety sections.

The Ministry said under Section 9, subsection (1) sub-paragraph (i) of the Act (Public Health) (Food), (section 182), anyone who provides, sells or imports food that is harmful to health can be imprisoned for five years or a fine or both.

The Brunei Times